A 24-year-old woman, who was trafficked in 2012, has been allowed by the Bombay High Court to be reunited with her husband with her seven-month-old baby, after staying at a shelter for three years.
A division Bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice P.D. Naik was hearing a criminal petition filed by the woman staying at Shanti Sadan Women Shelter Home at Ulhasnagar. The woman was trafficked from Myanmar by her step brother-in-law to Bhivandi for Rs. 30,000. She was put up at a brothel where she was rescued by a man soon thereafter. Subsequently, they got married and she was living with him. One day she had an argument with a local resident and the woman filed a complaint under the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act against her.
The magistrate at Bhiwandi ordered that she be deported to Myanmar with the help of the investigating officers and the special task force. The District Probation Officer was also directed to make an inquiry in respect of the age, character and antecedents of the victim, and the suitability of her husband, parents or guardian for taking her charge. The Judicial Magistrate First Class rejected the application filed by her husband and his uncle in October 2013 seeking her custody, and directed that she instead be deported. To stay in India, the woman will have to get a long-term visa and the advocate appearing for her informed the Bench that steps will be taken to do the needful.
